Game apparatus with a game board, marbles, and cards



1968 P, M. GARANGIOTIS 3,395,922

AND CARDS GAME APPARATUS WITH A GAME BOARD, MARBLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Aug. 9, 1965 QHMIMMIWMIMIMHMHMID mmmmmmmm A a mmwmmwmwmmm a w w 4W 5% g m w w fi w w m 4 I/- (W P 071;] ENTOR. BY WW 1 gv 4 5% Aug. 1968p. M. GARANGIOTIS 3,395,922

GAME APPARATUS WITH A GAME BOARD, MARBLES, AND CARDS Filed Aug. 9, 19652 Sheets-Sheet 2 r\ R I LL LL Fig. IO

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O INVENTOR. BY W LL Attorneys 3,395,922 GAME APPARATUS WITH A GAMEBOARD, MARBLES, AND CARDS Pauagiotis M. Garangiotis, 142 Race St., Apt.4, San Jose, Calif. 95126 Filed Aug. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 478,036 1 Claim.(Cl. 273-134) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A game apparatus comprising aboard having a plurality of separate playing areas, each area beingprovided with a marble-receiving recesses arranged in rows of differentcolors, at least one marble for each row of the same color as thecorresponding row, and a deck of cards for controling the movement ofsaid marbles along said rows, there being a group of cards in said deckfor each of the row colors on said board, the cards in each groupbearing indicia of a particular color and designating different numbersof recesses.

The present invention relates to intellectual games which are playedwith cards which control the movement of objects on a game board.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel game apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an intellectualgame which may be played by two or more persons and has a wide range ofinterest for young children as well as adults.

Still another object is to provide a game of the character describedhaving a minimum number of parts; which is inexpensive to manufacture,distribute and sell; yet is attractive in appearance.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich will be set forth in the following description of the preferredform of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanyingand forming part of this specification. It is to be understood, however,that variations in the showing made by the said drawings and descriptionmay be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in theclaims.

With reference to said drawings (two sheets):

FIGURE 1 is a top elevation of a game board constructed in accordancewith the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a cross section of the board taken substantially along theline 22 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURES 3 Ithrough 11 are top plan views of playing cards constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

The game apparatus of the present invention consists briefly of a bodymember 6 having a top surface 7 divided into a plurality of player areas8, 9, 10 and 11; the body member being formed with a plurality ofstations 13 divided equally among the areas; the stations of each areabeing identically further subdivided into series of stations 14, 15, 16and 17 in which each station within a series has matchingcharacteristics and each series of stations has distinguishingcharacteristics from each other series of stations; a plurality ofplaying pieces 21, 22, 23 and 24 equally divided among the areas witheach area having at least one piece for registration with each series ofstations; and a plurality of playing cards 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33,34 and 35 for playing on the top surface which are generally dividedinto the same number of groups as there are series of stations, thesegroups having a common characteristic for identity with one of theseries of stations and the cards bearing numbers or letters forcontrolling the movement of the pieces.

The body member or playing board is made of wood d States Patent 03,395,922 Patented Aug. 6, 1968 or plastic and has a generally planarsurface. The board may be in one piece or hinged as shown by piano typehinges 38. The board may have any peripheral shape but a square shape ismost suitable when constructed for four persons. The stations as at 13may be holes, depressions or indentations in the board itself or thedepressions may be formed by a multilayer-ed board in which the topboard is formed with holes and the bottom layer is solid. The stationsmay be circular or any other shape.

The playing board is divided into a number of player areas correspondingto the maximum number of persons for which the game is designed.Preferably the board is divided into quarters thus permitting up to fourpersons to play the game at one time.

Each player area is marked with a distinguishing symbol here shown as ablue diamond symbol 39, a green diamond symbol 40, a yellow diamondsymbol 41, and a red diamond symbol 42.

The color symbols as seen in FIGURE 1 are to be interpreted as viewedfrom the bottom of the sheet.

Preferably the series of stations are distinguished by color; series 14being blue, series 15 being green, series 16 being yellow, and series 17being red. Each series has one station which is set apart from thegeometric pattern so as to form a starting line. The starting lines hereshown consist of lines of different colored sockets. The starting linefor the blue playing area is designated generally by the number 44; thegreen area by the number 45; the yellow playing area by the number 46;and the red playing area by the number 47.

The majority of the stations are arranged in geometric patternsconsisting of straight lines. As here shown each series has ten stationsin a straight line. These lines may be arranged at any angle and arehere shown as pairs of parallel lines converging to form a right anglewith its intersection near the center of the board for each playingarea. Each of these lines is known as a playing line.

Each series of stations further includes a station set apart from thestraight line and apart from the stations designated as the startingline. These stations may be designated as winning spots and arepreferably set apart by a colored geometric symbol. These winning spotsfor the blue player area are here shown as a blue station 49 adjacent toa blue diamond 51), a red station 51 adjacent to a red diamond 52, ayellow station 54 adjacent to a yellow diamond 55 and a green station 56adjacent to a green diamond 57. Each playing area of the board hassimilar winning spots arranged in an identical pattern but they are nothere further described for purposes of brevity.

. Each player area may have another station or socket characterized bycolor or other indicia similar to the color or indicia here shown asdiamonds 39-42. Thus, the blue player area has a blue station 59,adjacent to the blue diamond; the green player area has a green station60 adjacent the green diamond; the yellow player area has a yellowstation 61 adjacent the yellow diamond and the red player area has a redstation 62 adjacent the red diamond. Stations 5962 are sometimes knownas the Mataka spot.

The playing pieces are designed to register with at least one series ofstations, and may be of any shape which will register with the stations.Preferably the pieces are glass or plastic marbles having differentcolors so that the blue marble 21 matches the blue stations 14, thegreen marble 22 matches the green stations 15, the yellow marble 23matches the yellow stations 16, and the red marble 24 matches the redstations 17. Each player is given four different colored marbles whichare initially placed on the starting line. The yellow marble, forexample, moves from the starting line to the playing line at the stationadjacent the edge of the board and moves toward the center of the board.After moving entirely along the playing line the mable is moved to thewinning spot 54.

Each player is given a fifth marble having a color corresponding withthe diamond in his playing area. This piece is known as a Mataka balland is placed at the Mataka spot.

The playing cards .may be made of heavy paper or plastic; the size ofthe cards should be convenient for holding in ones hand. Each. card isdesignated by a number and a color or a letter and a color. The numberof cards and the number of letters or numbers on the cards may vary butin the preferred form of the game there are 40 cards. In FIGURE 3, card27 is lined for the color green in a geometric pattern 64 and bears thenumber 1 as designated by the number 65. There are ten green cards asfollows: two cards bearing the digit 1, two cards bearing the digit 2,two cards bearing the digit 3, two cards bearing the digit 4, one cardbearing the digit 5, a word 66 (Mataka) and additional letters 67 and 68here consisting of the letter S, and a card bearing a letter 69 hereshown as the letter B and shown in FIGURE 9.

There are ten blue cards 30, nine of which, as generally shown in FIGURE6, have a colored symbol 71 and a number 72. There are two cards bearingthe digit 1, two cards bearing the digit 2, two cards bearing the digit3, two cards bearing the digit 4, and one card bearing the digit and theword Mataka. The blue series would also have a card as shown in FIGURE 8bearing a letter 74 here shown as the letter A.

In like manner there are ten yellow cards, nine of which, as generallyshown in FIGURE 5, consist of a yellow symbol 76 and a number 77. Theyellow series consists of two cards having a 1 digit, two cards having a2 digit,

two cards having a 3 digit, two cards having a 4 digit, and

one card having a 5 digit and the word Mataka. A card bearing a letter77a here shown as the letter C and a yellow symbol 78 as shown in FIGUREcompletes the set.

In like manner there are ten red cards, nine of which bear a number 79as shown in FIGURE 4 and a symbol 80. There are two cards having a 1digit, two cards having a 2 digit, two cards having a 3 digit, two cardshaving a 4 digit, and one card having a 5 digit and the Word Mataka. Inaddition there is one card as shown in FIG- URE 11 having a red symbol82 and a letter 83, here shown as the letter D.

The playing cards may be conveniently held in a stacked condition by aremovable tray 86 having upstanding side members as at 87, a bottom 88and legs 89. The tray is dimensioned so that the cards may lie in ahorizontal plane on the bottom 88.

The rules of the game may of course be varied and a preferred set ofrules is here set forth for purposes of illustration. To start the game,the deck of cards is shuffled and the player to the right cuts. Thecards are dealt successively to the players face up until one personreceives the card bearing the letter A. This player becomes the dealer.The board is rotated so that the dealer plays on the area designated bythe blue diamond. The dealer moves his blue marble from the startingline to the fifth station on the blue playing line. The player to theleft of the dealer plays on the area designated by the green diamond andmoves his green marble from the starting line to the fourth station onthe green playing line. This player becomes the B player, whereas thedealer becomes the A player.

If there is a third player, he assumes the position behind the areadesignated by the yellow diamond and moves his yellow marble to thethird station on the yellow playing line. This player becomes the Cplayer. If there is a fourth player, he assumes the position behind thered diamond and moves his red marble from the starting line to thesecond station on the red playing line.

The play is begun by the dealer shuflling the cards and the player tothe right cutting them. The dealer then gives each player five cardsface down.

If there are four players then they play partners with players A and C,and B and D becoming partners. The player to the left of the dealer isthe first to play and does so by laying down one card on the diamondmatching the color of the card he plays. He then moves his or anothersmarble according to the color and number of the card played.

The cards numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4 govern the movement of the marbles asfollows: a player moves his marble corresponding to the card color thenumber of spaces indicated on the card. If an enemy has a matchingcolored marble in play, the player may move the enemy backwards a numberof spaces according to the card played. The enemy may not be movedbackward if that particular marble has reached the winning spot for thatcolor. A player may split his play by moving the enemy backward and hisown marble forward. If a player has his corresponding colored marble inthe winning spot, he may advance his partner's marble which correspondswith the color of the card played.

The player who plays a card designated Mataka S/S/S may move as follows:the player may move his own correspondingly colored marble forward 5spaces. As an alternate move, he may move his partners correspondinglycolored marble forward 5 spaces. He may split his move between hispartner and himself by moving both corresponding marbles a total of 5spaces. He may as a further alternative move any colored marble of anenemy backwards 5 spaces, or he may split his move between a partner, anenemy and his own marble.

The cards bearing a letter control the movement of marbles as follows:the player must first determine which particular player matches thecolor of the lettered card to be played and then he may move thatplayers marble corresponding to the color of the card played forward ifhe is a partner or it is his own marble; backward if it is an enemy. Thenumber of spaces moved is determined by the letter on the card asfollows: The A card entitles the player to move a marble five stations;the B card moves four stations; the C card moves three stations, and theD card moves two stations.

The object of the game is for each player to attempt to get all fourmarbles that he is playing to the respective winning spots before anyother player. He is then decl-ared a winner and he is then entitled totry for a double Win.

When a person decides to try for a double win, his object is to move hismarble from the Mataka spot to the line, thence along the line and backto the Mataka spot before any enemy can move all four of his marbles tothe winning spot. It is to be noted that when a player tries for adouble win the cards are shuffled and redealt but every player leaveshis marbles in the positions they were in at the time the win wasdeclarde.

When each player has played all of his five cards, the dealer picks upthe stack from the card tray and deals each player an additional fivecards. The play continues and cards are redealt until all of the cardsof the stack from the tray are dealt. At this point, the cards playedare picked up, reshuffied and dealt as before. The deal passes to theleft after all of the cards are played or one person declares himself tobe a winner.

There are some special rules for a player trying for a double win asfollows: a person trying for a double win can move his partner orhimself forward as determined by the cards played, but he cannot move anenemy backwards.

Other general rules are as follows: when a player reaches a winning spotwith a marble, an enemy cannot push that marble backwards. When a playerhas a card in his hand which cannot move a marble by the logic set forthin the previous rules, the card is played without any movement of anymarble and the next player plays.

It has been found that greater enjoyment is obtained from playing thegame, particularly by younger players, if the cards are laid down on thecorresponding colored diamond as the cards are played. Thus a greencolored card would be played on the green diamond 40, a yellow card onthe yellow diamond 41, etc. The stations are arranged so that a cardreceiving area is formed which has a colored symbol such as a diamond.

Where marbles are used it is desirable to form an upstanding rimsurrounding the playing board as at 91, 92, 93 and 94 so that themarbles do not accidentally roll from the board.

It may be seen from a study of the above rules that a sophisticatedplayer may gain an advantage by noting the color and number of each cardplayed in order to aid him in plotting his moves. Thus the game is agood memory training device and a challenge to adults. The rules may besimplified for younger children, and any child who can count to five andcan distinguish four colors is capable of playing and enjoying the game.The game moves very fast with a great deal of action and excitement forpersons of all ages.

If desired, glass holding sockets 96, 97, 98 and 99 may be provided atthe corners of the board.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising:

a body member having a top surface divided into four playing areas eachhaving a distinguishing colored symbol;

said body member being formed with a plurality of marble receivingsockets divided equally among said areas;

said sockets of each area being identically further subdivided into fourseries of sockets in which all sockets within a series are of the samecolor and each series of sockets bears a different one of the colors ofsaid symbols at said player areas;

said sockets of each series being arranged to form a geometric patternwith two sockets from each series spaced from said pattern;

a plurality of colored marbles dimensioned for registration with saidsockets and equally divided among said areas with each player areahaving at least one marble for each series of sockets, the colors ofsaid marbles matching those of the corresponding series of sockets;

each of said player areas having a socket spaced geometrically apartfrom all said other series of sockets of the area in which it islocated; and

'a plurality of playing cards for playing on said top surface and beingdivided into four groups, each group having a color matching one of saidseries and said cards bearing numbers or letters for controlling themovement of said marbles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,527,219 2/ 1925 Potter 273-1342,211,297 8/1940 Bull 273-134 2,239,779 4/1941 Clark et al. 273-1342,484,051 10/1949 Robbins 273-134 2,615,718 10/1952 Robbins 273-1342,693,961 11/1954 Ripley 273-134 2,750,193 6/1956 Wales 273-1343,104,106 9/1963 Kenney et al 273-134 3,166,325 1/1965 First 273-1343,310,308 3/1967 Reagan 273-134 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,018 1912 GreatBritain. 196,439 4/ 1923 Great Britain.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

